The Cruelty Still at Large Behind Closed Doors: The Alarming State of Corporal Punishment in the US.

Corporal punishment is defined as a physical retribution for an offense. Corporals are considered to be those of a low status, a term often used in military rankings. Corporal punishment has existed since the very beginning of human civilization, often being used in the courts, in schools, and in the home. Its first recorded incidence was in 10 BC. In ancient times Sparta was known for the harshest physical punishments, which its leaders believed to build high pain thresholds and increased willpower and perseverance.
Some countries practice judicial corporal punishment, in which criminals are tortured as their punishment. Corporal punishment in the US was at high popularity during colonial times and during the 19th and 20th centuries. Common 19th century punishments in the US included whipping, and striking the knuckles with a ruler. Common reasons included, swearing, talking back, boys playing with girls, and disruptive behavior. In the 20th century, popular methods included spanking, paddling, belts, hot-saucing, and soap in the mouth. Children are sometimes asked to choose their weapon, the parent sometimes giving them a choice of a particular belt, soap, paddle, or switch.
Popularity has largely decreased since the 1960's, yet it still has many advocates and people who practice it. Implements such as paddles, whips, switches, belts, cleats, logs and many more are universal among punishers, though many prefer to use their bare hands. Others include washing the mouth out with soap, swallowing soap, squirting hot sauce in the mouth, drinking a bottle of hot sauce, and drinking salt water until vomiting occurs.
Common anatomical targets include the buttocks, wrists, thighs, neck and even the face. Corporal punishment is often referred to as "spanking", "the swish", or "paddling".
Many parents, teachers, and care-givers prefer corporal punishment because it is quick to administer, cost-free, and straight to the point. They find it too time and money consuming to talk to the child, or pay for detention programs, school-wide lecturing programs, or character development classes. Despite the legality, many parents opt to to inflict the punishment in private, for fear of embarrassment. Another common belief is that children will not understand why their action was wrong or inconsiderate if spoken to or grounded and find that children will only refrain from undesirable action if pain is inflicted. Many believe than pain will instill fear and achieve desired results right away.
 Many commonly misinterpret religious texts as advocates for corporal punishment. Many Christians and Catholics believe that the bible instructs them to punish children in a physical way. This is a false and secular belief of some religions, often used to control its members. Many religions actually incorporate corporal punishment for children as a punishment for violation of religious rules.
Corporal punishment is entirely legal in 20 US states. Corporal punishment is most popular in the south, hence 12 southern states abusing more than 1,000 school children in the 2006-2007 school year alone. In those 20 states some school districts have banned corporal punishment. In 30 states corporal punishment is only illegal in schools, and may be practiced freely in the home. No restrictions are placed on the methods used for punishment. Corporal punishment is illegal in most of Europe, being only allowed in France and the Czech Republic, and at least being banned in schools in 17 countries. In Canada, corporal punishment is allowed, yet there are many restrictions. Only a parent or legal guardian(and nobody else) can spank their children aged 2-12 using only bare hands. Implements(paddles, whips, etc.) are strictly prohibited. Face blows and punches are unacceptable, and any punishment inflicted may not leave even the slightest mark(welts, scars, cuts, etc.) Provinces may place tighter restrictions at their discretion, and must at minimum place these restrictions on corporal punishment.

Number of students who suffered corporal punishment(2006-2007 school year) 

Orange(12 states)-1000+ students

Light Orange(8 states)-less than 1000 students

Yellow(30 states)-Banned

Corporal Punishment Legality in Europe

Green(18 countries)-Corporal Punishment is Prohibited in both the schools and the home

Blue(17 countries)-Corporal punishment is prohibited in schools only

Red(2 countries) Corporal punishment is allowed

Legality in the United States.
Red(20 states)-Corporal punishment is completely allowed in both schools and homes, yet some school districts ban use. 

Blue(30 states)-Corporal punishment is not allowed in schools, yet may be used freely in the home.

The US department of Health and Human services reports that annually, an average of 142,000 children are seriously injured from corporal punishment. 18,000 are permanently disabled, and between 1 and 2,000 children each year die from corporal punishment alone. 70% of CPS(Child Protective Services) cases stem from corporal punishment, 41% percent of testifying parents say that they were just "disciplining" their children, and that they "accidentally" killed them, and some are proven not guilty. 99% of prison inmates have been subject to some form of corporal punishment at some point in their lives.

Studies show that 50% children who are physically punished grow into aggressive adults. They are taught that violence is the only way to get what they want, and that violence is the only way to resolve conflicts. Many people that were physically punished as children end up repeating the cycle of domestic abuse with their own children.

Corporal punishment has been shown to lower self-esteem, and is detrimental to the intimacy, love, and warmth of the relationship between parent and child. It causes the child to have a lack of trust and confidence in the parent, making the child afraid to come to the parent for help, ask questions, or trust them.
How is it that so many believe that criminals should not be tortured, yet they openly believe in corporal punishment when it concerns children? How is it that many parents who were abused as children fail to remember the pain it caused them, and openly abuse their own children?

Corporal punishment does not teach children to behave out of genuine interest and reason to do so, instead it causes children to behave out of fear that they will be hurt, and thus they do not learn the real reasons why they should behave, and end up "misbehaving" once they leave their parents. 

Though the physical damage may be temporary, corporal punishment leaves lasting emotional scars that can never be erased.

Corporal punishment is a cruel abuse of power, and a violation of human rights. It is a punishment in which no human deserves and should ever be forced to endure. Children are no exception.

No person, not even a parent or a teacher should have the right to lay hands on a child other than in a caring and affectionate way. Parental guidance should be composed of caring, kindness, patience, enlightenment, and instruction, and not cruelty, humiliation, fear, pain, trauma and rage.

Why have we failed to realize cruelty when we see it?